Our authors tell us their favorite scary monsters!

We recently asked Fellowship of Fantasy authors to tell us about their favorite scary monsters. We've gathered some of their answers into this collection of creepy critters for your enjoyment! Enjoy, and consider clicking the links to investigate the authors further!

​ALL OF THEM. Seriously, I enjoy old folklore and how it ties into universal human emotions and needs. But I have spent the most time writing about youkai (non-human entities in Japanese folklore) and western European fae.Laura VanArendonk Baugh

Favorite scary monster of lore: Yzma transformed into a kitten in The Emperor's New Groove. She replaces the bunny from Monte Python & The Holy Grail as the most adorable, seeming innocent creature, that will straight-up murder you. She's cold-sweat terrifying... and with that voice! Not even close.Deep Magic E-zine

Probably going to have to go with vampires. Mostly because the Dracula character in "Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein" terrified me when I was a kid. Yes, I know how ridiculous that sounds... Jenelle Leanne Schmidt

The Chupacabra for sure. It's a blood-sucking creature--definitely not something I'd want to cross paths with in the dark of night!Heather Hayden

The Gaelic Sluagh (sloo-ah), which was said to eat souls and occasionally appeared as a flock of crows. H. A. Titus

About Mythic Orbits

You might be wondering what in the world “Mythic Orbits ” refers to. I’m not sure if it will help reassure you to tell you the name Mythic Orbits was simply intended to suggest both science fiction and fantasy and to identify these books in a distinctive way, along with any that follow after in the series.

Just as these anthologies represent a wide variety of genres, there is no common theme to these tales, though the subject of empathy or lack thereof does come up in them repeatedly. This is most definitelynotan anthology about orbits which are somehow mystical.

These anthologies are a showcase for the best stories submitted in the general field of speculative fiction by Christian authors. They represent a wide variety of genres, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and paranormal.

The main goal of these anthologies was to demonstrate that Christian authors can write speculative fiction well. Stories with a wide range of appeal are included here, mostly serious, some with humor, some with “happy endings” and others clearly not so happy. All of them worth reading.

Some of these stories feature Christian characters in speculative fiction worlds, some make use of Christian themes either subtly or overtly, while some have no discernible connection to Christianity at all. Christian authors are featured in this collection rather than specifically Christian-themed stories.

So, is it widely-known all over the world that Christians write speculative fiction?

Well, clearly Christians who themselves are speculative fiction writers know what they write. But does everybody else?

Especially when we're talking about theologically conservative Christians, Evangelicals of some sort, professed Bible-believing Christians, do people know about their works? Is it legitimate for people to wonder if writers with personal convictions along these lines produce speculative fiction, that is, science fiction and fantasy and related genres like LitRPG, paranormal, and horror?

These books provide an answer: Not only do Christian writers produce speculative fiction stories, they write some great ones.

Mythic Orbits 2016

Fourteen of the best speculative fiction stories by Christian authors, spinning science fiction, fantasy, horror, and paranormal genres into worlds of intrigue and delight. Featuring Graxin by Kerry Nietz, author of Amish Vampires in Space and A Star Curiously Singing, Mythic Orbits 2016 has something for every speculative fiction fan.

Mythic Orbits Vol. 2

In a series praised by both Tosca Lee, Kathy Tyers, and Kerry Nietz, this anthology of eleven speculative fiction stories by Christian authors shines in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and LitRPG genres. Featuring Kat Heckenbach’s “Mark the Days,” this collection has something for every speculative fiction fan.

The Wild Hunt started with a violinist inspired by the idea of the Italian courtesan: a woman who wanted to get an education and learn music so went down that road. After losing her patron on the voyage to the young United States, she finds herself alone in New York. I played with that idea some but never did anything with it. Some months later, a Cait Sidhe fleeing the Wild Hunt crashed through my imagination one early, foggy morning. When it occurred to me to combine the two ideas, this story happened. Cats and music are always a delightful combination!

I’ve owned two cats for over 10 years: a huge portion of my life! They couldn’t be more different than each other. Brother has quite the origin story. My family had a litter of kittens and a local teenage boy took him. A few months passed, and that boy left home without the cat, so we took him back and called him Ebony’s Brother, shortened to Brother when he outlived Ebony. He is a huge black cat who loves everyone, but food is his biggest priority. Winnie is Brother’s niece and literally his opposite. She is a petite calico who has been with me since she was born. She’s shy and hides from anyone but me. She loves to be pet, or just to curl up at my side purring, while Brother is at the food bowl. My cats’ unique quirks balance each other out perfectly.

* What was your inspiration for your story in the anthology?My cats already think catnip is magical. :)* Tell us about the cat(s) in your life.I currently live with five cats. Ginger the calico queen, Pumpkin the orange cat celebrity wannabe, Breve the spazzfluff, Molasses the fluffy clutz, and Tapioca the quietly adorable.

What was your inspiration for your story in the anthology?Back in January of 2017, I participated in a writing contest for Speculative Faith. The challenge was to write a piece of flash fiction between 100-300 words that started from the prompt: “Kendall didn’t care if the other candidates thought he was power hungry— nothing could stop him from going after his destiny.” “Destined for Greatness” started its life as my entry for that contest. When the fairy tale and cat anthologies were announced, I had a burst of inspiration for how I could make Kendall’s life even more miserable than I already had and potentially tie it in to the fairy-tale series I’m planning to write after I finish my fantasy/gaslamp series. Thus, the story expanded slightly and became a strange blend of humorous cat story and original fairy tale.

Tell us about the cat(s) in your life.There are no cats in my life currently. Unless you count my brother’s cats, which I enjoy petting when we visit them. I had a cat when I was younger, an enormous gray-striped cat I named “Tigger.” He was the epitome of an independent cat with a mind of his own. He was the sort of cat who would meow to go out, then change his mind halfway across the threshold. If I really wanted him to make up his mind, I’d have to hold the door open and stand there as though I really didn’t care what he did.My 4-year old son is quite allergic to cats, so it doesn’t look like there will be any cats in my future… which honestly only bothers me because cats are a great marketing tool for authors. I like cats okay, but I’ve always been more of a dog-person… which is probably why my cat story has a bit of a strange/somewhat dark sense of humor to it!

​by Janeen IppolitoRating PG-13 for Mild Swearing, Implied Sex, Sensuality, Hard Topics, and ViolenceTo save the family he doesn't remember, airship captain Shance Windkeeper must take down a notorious death unicorn before she captivates and enslaves an entire city.

​by H. L. BurkeRating PG for Sensuality and Implied Sex, Mild SwearingAs powers war, Kit and Bryce are caught in schemes not of their making. Schemes that could bring them together, or tear them apart forever.

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There's just something magical about cats.​Fierce hunters content to rest upon our sofas. Sweet friends but stubbornly independent. Fluffy little murder balls with jellybean toes and razor-sharp claws. It's easier to answer what cats aren't than what they are.

In this purr-fect collection, awesome authors pounce upon the challenge of the mysterious cat like the elusive little red dot it is. Curl up with sixteen stories all featuring our furry, frisky, fabulous feline friends. Inside, you'll find adorable house cats, majestic big cats, and imperious cat-dragons. You'll meet cats who are their owners' protectors, who help them find true love, and who tackle the challenges of caring for their clumsy human companions in hilarious, heartwarming, and harrowing ways.

This fifth anthology from the Fellowship of Fantasy features new and returning authors, dedicated to giving you the best in cat-related fantasy fiction.